Pre-Listing Home Inspections in Vancouver and the North Shore
Most deals that fall apart or get renegotiated do so because of the buyer's inspection. A pre-listing inspection puts you ahead of it. You'll know what a buyer's inspector is likely to find while you still have time, and leverage, to deal with it.
From $695 · Licensed by Consumer Protection BC · Reports within 24 hours
Why sellers get a pre-listing inspection
No surprises after an offer.
Issues found after you've accepted an offer turn into price reductions or credits on the buyer's terms. Found early, they're on yours.
Fix what's worth fixing.
Decide calmly whether to repair, get quotes, or adjust the price, instead of scrambling during a subject period.
Help buyers firm up faster.
A recent inspection report gives buyers confidence, which can mean fewer subjects and cleaner offers.
Price with confidence.
You and your realtor can set a price that already accounts for the home's real condition.
Be clear on disclosure.
Knowing your home's condition helps you complete the Property Disclosure Statement accurately. Ask your realtor how to handle any findings.
What's included
A full visual inspection of the home's major systems and components, reported in plain language with photos:
- Roof, gutters, chimneys and drainage, with drone photos for steep roofs
- Exterior cladding, windows, doors, decks and grading
- Foundation and structure, as far as is visible
- Electrical panel, wiring and outlets, including flags for older wiring like knob-and-tube
- Plumbing supply and drains, including identifying Poly-B and galvanized piping
- Heating, ventilation and hot water
- Attic insulation and ventilation
- Interior signs of moisture and water damage
Also included: an aerial photo of your home, which looks great in your listing.
How it works
1
Book online
A few weeks before you plan to list, so you have time to act on the report.
2
Inspection day
About 3–4 hours for a house. You don't need to be home, but you're welcome to be there.
3
Your report
Arrives within 24 hours, with findings sorted by urgency: safety concerns, items to fix before listing, and normal maintenance.
4
Decide your next step
With your realtor: repair, get quotes, disclose, or adjust the price.
The report
Every finding, sorted into three columns
The inspection is performed to Consumer Protection BC standards of practice — the same inspection a buyer's inspector would perform on your home. Then the part that actually matters: every finding sorted into three columns.
Fix
The kind of finding buyers reliably use as leverage. Worth addressing before you list.
Disclose
A real deficiency, but one better disclosed and priced in than repaired. Once it's on the table, it stops being a negotiating lever.
Leave
Normal wear for a home of this age. A buyer's inspector will note it. Nobody negotiates on it.
Lower Mainland homes, Lower Mainland issues
Our wet climate and older housing produce a predictable set of findings that buyers' inspectors watch for. These include moss and roof wear, failing exterior sealants, poor lot drainage on sloped North Shore properties, Poly-B plumbing in 1980s–90s homes, and older electrical systems in Vancouver character houses. A pre-listing inspection checks for exactly these, so none of them surprise you.
Selling on the North Shore? See pre-listing inspections in North Vancouver.
What it costs
Listing Ready
$695
The full inspection to CPBC standards, plus the Fix / Disclose / Leave plan, written scopes of work, and three trades for each category.
Listing Ready + Envelope
$1,095
Adds a blower door test and building envelope assessment, plus an efficiency summary you can include with your listing. Useful on 1970s–1990s homes, where buyers increasingly ask about heating costs before they ask about anything else.
Repair verification visit
$250
After the work is done, we return, verify it, and issue an addendum.
Our guarantees
- Report within 24 hours, or the inspection is free. Usually the same evening.
- Calls returned within two hours while your offers are live.
- If we missed an accessible area, we come back at no charge.
Pre-listing inspection FAQ
- When should I book it?
- Two to four weeks before listing is ideal. That leaves time for quotes or repairs without delaying your launch.
- Will I have to disclose what the inspection finds?
- Disclosure obligations depend on the issue. Talk to your realtor about how to handle specific findings. We report what we observe; we don't advise on legal disclosure.
- Can buyers rely on my report?
- Many buyers still get their own inspection, but a recent pre-listing report reassures them and often makes their inspection quicker and less contentious.
- Do you inspect condos and townhouses for sellers too?
- Yes. See condo and strata inspections. Condo and strata inspections →
Who does the inspection
Northlight is owned and run by Jon, a home inspector licensed by Consumer Protection BC and a certified energy advisor based in North Vancouver. He performs every inspection himself.
More about NorthlightGet ahead of the buyer's inspection
Book online or call (236) 240-2451. Weekend appointments are available.
Northlight Home Inspections · Licensed by Consumer Protection BC · Licence #89112 · (236) 240-2451